CLEVELAND – A controversial banner flew over FirstEnergy Stadium for Sunday’s game to protest the National Football League commissioner’s handling of domestic violence cases.
The banner read “@Ultraviolent: #GoodellMustGo.”
“We can’t afford to have an NFL Commissioner that doesn’t take domestic violence seriously,” said Karin Roland, a spokesperson for UltraViolet.
UltraViolet is a national, non-profit organization behind the banner that fights sexism and works to end domestic violence.
The organization said domestic violence among pro football players is getting out of hand, punishments are too lenient and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is to blame.
“I think he dropped the ball real hard on the Ray Rice situation,” said George Nosente, a Cleveland Browns fan. “Domestic violence is nothing to play around with, the league is covering something up.”
“I don’t think he’ll last,” said Dan Vespoli, a Cleveland Browns fan.
Calls for Goodell to step down started when a video surfaced last week which showed Baltimore Ravens’ Ray Rice slugging his then fiancé. There are reports that the NFL had the video months ago and still gave Rice a meager two-game suspension. The NFL disputes the claim that they had the video a while ago. Rice is now suspended indefinitely, but he is appealing it.
On Sunday, Carolina Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy got benched for assaulting his ex-girlfriend. Over the weekend, Minnesota Viking Adrian Peterson got deactivated from the game Sunday after he allegedly hit his four-year-old son with a branch.
“He [Roger Goodell] has really damaged the league’s reputation, and he needs to accept that it’s time to step down,” said Roland.
UltraViolet took their message to two other stadiums Sunday, besides First Energy. They also flew the Goodell banner over MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for the Giants/Cardinals game as well as Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco for the 49ers/Bears game.
“I think they ought to put the bad guys in jail and forget about going after the NFL,” said Marilynn Phifer, a Browns fan. “The NFL is not at fault here.”
